Matthew H. Holding

Matthew Henry Holding ARIBA (1847-1910) was a Northampton architect. He was articled to Charles Buckeridge, and by 1878 had set up his own architectural practice at 1 Market Square, Northampton. He was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects on 23 May 1881. By 1891 he had moved his practice to the Corn Exchange in Northampton. He was responsible for the west bays added to the Guildhall in Northampton in 1889-92, in a 13th-century Gothic style matching that of E.W. Godwin’s east bays of 1861-4. He designed several new churches in Northampton, including: St Mary, Towcester Road, Far Cotton (1884-5); St Paul’s, Semilong Road (1887-91); St Matthew, Kettering Road (1891-4); Christ Church, Wellingborough Road (1903-6); and Holy Trinity, Balmoral Road (1909). He was involved in restoration and rebuilding works at a number of medieval churches in Northamptonshire, including St Mary the Virgin, Gayton (1883); St John the Baptist, Hellidon (1897); and All Saints, Harpole (1905).

The Subject
When Rev. John Knight Law took over as Rector of Marston Trussell upon the death of his father (Rev. William Law) in 1900…

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…he proceeded to commission Matthew Holding to carry out a condition survey of the buildings in the benefice. In the Northamptonshire Record Office there is a report dated 31 May 1901 by Holding on the condition of the rectory and church chancel, and a second report by him dated 27 February 1902 on the architectural history, condition and repairs needed at the church. These formed the basis of the Faculty application for restoration of the medieval church, submitted by Rev. Law on 25 February 1903. The architectural drawings are believed to date from the same period as the reports.